The palace is releasing special pictures, the Royal Mint is striking 7,500 sterling silver commemorative coins, and newspapers are publishing glowing tributes.

What's all the fuss about? A little boy who will be king.

Prince George turned 1 on Tuesday. While he may be too young to appreciate it, the milestone is a national event.

Editorial writers call him a symbol of hope, newspaper headlines hail him as "Gorgeous George" and one published a 24-page glossy magazine chronicling his first 12 months. Prince William and his wife, Kate, plan a small party at Kensington Palace.

In the official photos, George looks awfully proud of himself as, dressed in bib overalls and a blue shirt, he takes confident steps and raises his arms in triumph.

Instead of going into a family album for viewing once every five or 10 years, the pictures of playful Prince George went around the world in an instant, showing the future generation in the best possible light.

Some British papers crowed that the republican movement in Australia had been set back decades.